On Tuesday the Treasury reduced purchase taxes on a broad
array of consumer items, cancelling taxes entirely on 320
items and reducing them on another 310 items. The total
reduction in tax receipts is expected to be NIS 1.3 billion
and the "average" family is expected to save NIS 5,000 a
year. Purchase taxes on vehicles (65 percent), fuel, alcohol
and cigarettes -- which bring in far more money -- are not
included in the reduction.

Chief Justice of the High Court Aharon Barak recently tried
to promote Oded Elyagon, Chief Justice of the Magistrate's
Court of the southern region, as a judge in the Tel Aviv
Regional Court. This appointment conflicts with a decision of
the Committee for the Appointment of Judges not to promote
Elyagon due to his hostile remarks about the religious and
chareidi communities and additional groups.

At a preliminary reading, the Knesset approved a proposal by
MK Rabbi Meir Porush to mandate the designation of areas for
religious structures and mikvo'os in plans of every
new settlement, city or neighborhood. The proposal passed by
a majority of 31 MKs against 26 opponents. There was one
abstention.

UTJ's MK Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz proposed the passage of a
"Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child Law" in the Knesset.
According to the law, under special circumstances stemming
from their obligation to educate, parents will be allowed to
hit a child lightly and in a manner that will not inflict
physical or emotional harm. In addition, the spanking must be
bearable and for educational purposes.

The Torah world fell into deep mourning with the
petirah of one of the greatest marbitzei Torah
and most venerable roshei yeshiva of our time, HaRav
Binyomin Paller, zt"l, the rosh yeshiva of
Mekor Chaim in Boro Park, New York. His levaya in
Yerushalayim was attended by HaRav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro and
HaRav Shmuel Auerbach as well as by many roshei
yeshiva and thousands of bnei Torah. It took place
both in the United States and Jerusalem.

Thousands accompanied the Admor of Slonim, HaRav Sholom Noach
Barzovksy, zt"l, on his last earthly journey. The
Slonimer Rebbe, who led his flock valiantly for scores of
years, was niftar suddenly in his 89th year.